


Comfort

by tfloosh



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: F/M, Fem!Sheik, In line with canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-24 01:04:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10730973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tfloosh/pseuds/tfloosh
Summary: Sheik meets with Link the night before he heads out to the Temple of Time. She tries to keep her cool, but the princess in her is worried.





	Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Zelink Week way back in 2015.

Sheik found him camped just outside the desert. Link sat staring blankly into the small fire in front of him, and his horse, Epona, rested not too far from him. She walked silently over to his little camp and sat across the fire from him. Link was not surprised by her sudden appearance. Sheik often appeared from the shadows whenever it seemed as if he needed her most. And she was always there when he needed her most.

“I see you made it through the Spirit Temple,” she said gazing at him over the fire.

“I awakened Nabooru as the Sage of Spirit,” he confirmed, his eyes lighting up with a small crooked smile. Sheik smiled back, though Link could not see it.

“So you are headed to the Temple of Time now, yes?” she raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

The hero nodded before abruptly saying, “Why are you here, Sheik?”

She let out an exasperated huff. He was so blunt sometimes. The Sheikah reached into her small pouch and pulled out a bottle. She threw it across the fire to Link, who caught it reflexively.

“A fairy?” he asked frowning at the small sprite.

“Just in case,” she whispered unable to meet the hero’s eyes. The princess in her was worried. She knew what tomorrow would bring.

“I’ll be fine, Sheik,” Link rolled his eyes but slipped the bottle into his pouch anyway.

“Tell me about the Spirit Temple,” Sheik quickly changed the subject. She hardly listened to him as he spoke about his travels through time to gain access to the temple. The Sheikah was too wrapped up in her own thoughts. The closer Sheik came to revealing herself to Link, the more she could feel quirks of her royal personality creeping forward.

Most recently, old feelings had been resurfacing. Memories of the little Kokiri boy who snuck into the castle courtyard to see her and show her all the different masks he collected for the Happy Mask Salesman took over her mind before she slept each night. Surely her childhood crush was not returning now, of all times now, right before she was about to reveal to the hero who trusted her with his life that she had been deceiving him for months.

Sheik looked deep into Link’s soft blue eyes. Sweet innocence and excitement at the story he was telling juxtaposed the fierce courage and determination that filled those orbs. His rambling tale came to a slow stop as he noticed her staring.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” she asked before he could question her.

“Not really,” Link flashed a strained smile, and Sheik noticed his hands twitch as if wanting to reach for the Master Sword and shield equipped on his back. “You’ll be with me, won’t you?”

“I’ll always stay with you, Link,” Sheik smiled bitterly. What was that? She was spitting out half-truths now, was she? Could she even tell him the truth now? “Listen, Link-”

“Even tonight?” he cut her off, his blue eyes burrowing into her own falsely red. He was desperate to keep her by his side, she could see that, and that meant he was far more nervous than he had let on. The princess’ heart inside her bled. She needed to stay for him; there was no question. But her Sheikah training riled against her soft heart. This would only hurt him later. Spending the night with him before she would reveal her secret was out of the question.

Link could see the indecision behind her eyes, “Please, Sheik, I, - I need you. Your presence comforts me.”

Her mind froze. The princess in her screamed to say yes, and Sheik nodded wordlessly. If there was any doubt in her heart, it was now gone. She loved him.

“Thanks, Sheik,” Link stood to unpack his bedroll and an extra blanket for Sheik. She took it silently and sat on the grass by Epona. Her mind was now whirling from Link’s words chasing all thoughts of sleep from her. _I need you._

Did he, - no he couldn’t. The hopeless romantic in the princess side of her was showing. Link just didn’t want to be alone, that was all. He didn’t necessarily have feelings for her or anything. But the content smile on his face as he laid down on his bedroll seemed to say otherwise.

Then a sudden though occurred to her. If Link did have any feelings for her, they would be for Sheik, not Princess Zelda. She rolled onto her side, facing away from Link. All at once, her heart was elated yet crushed. She clenched her eyes shut, willing her heart to steel itself against these feelings and prevent her tears before they fell.

Sheik waited until Link’s breathing evened out before she sat up and kept watch over his sleeping form. She would wait until the first light of dawn then leave. She would meet Link at the Temple of Time as planned and explain everything to him just as she rehearsed. So much was going to happen once the sun rose; she didn’t need to be distracted by something as trivial as her crush once it did.

As much as she hardened her heart the previous night, Sheik was reluctant to leave in the morning. She made the mistake of glancing over at Link as he stirred slightly in his sleep. There was a slight smile across his lips, and his face looked younger, devoid of the hardness he had gathered throughout his journey. Without realizing, Sheik extended her hand to brush back the blonde bangs that had fallen into his face. Suddenly his eyes clenched slightly causing his nose to scrunch up.

“Zel…da,” he mumbled brokenly before rolling over. Sheik froze before retracting her hand and standing. Her heart melted.

“You comfort me too, Link,” she whispered before disappearing into the early dawn.


End file.
